title: Accuracy of dialysis medical records in determining patients' interest in and suitability for transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to determine the accuracy of dialysis medical records in identifying patients' interest in and suitability for transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cluster randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 167 patients recruited from 23 hemodialysis facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Navigators met with intervention patients to provide transplant information and assistance. Control patients continued to receive usual care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Agreement at study initiation between medical records and (i) patient self-reported interest in transplantation and (ii) study assessments of medical suitability for transplant referral.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical record assessments, self-reports, and study assessments of patient's interest in and suitability for transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was disagreement between medical records and patient self-reported interest in transplantation for 66 (40%) of the 167 study patients. In most of these cases, patients reported being more interested in transplantation than their medical records indicated. The study team determined that all 92 intervention patients were medically suitable for transplant referral. However, for 38 (41%) intervention patients, medical records indicated that they were not suitable. About two-thirds of these patients successfully moved forward in the transplant process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dialysis medical records are frequently inaccurate in determining patient's interest in and suitability for transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA. anne.huml@uhhospitals.org
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Huml
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pencak
authors.forename: Ashwini R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sehgal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: accuracy; dialysis; medical records; transplantation